The Day It All Began
by VenomKat
Summary: No matter what happened, Mihawk was always there for Shanks. The two became inseparable through their journey together, but will they stay together even through rough times? (Re-uploaded because I was a dumbass HAH) Original story is from Wattpad. I just upload here to let others read without having to create an account on Wattpad.
1. Chapter 1

Maybe it was a coincidence that they met. Maybe it was fate. But all that matters is what's become of it.

The day that the Pirate King Roger died was all too depressing for the young boy. He was finally beginning to get attached to everything: the crew, the wild parties, the captain; it was as if he lost everything that day. Everyone in the crew was split, and he was left alone to travel the world again. With no place to go, the red haired boy walked into a bar on the island that he landed on.

As he entered the building, his eyes immediately laid upon someone. Without knowing, he began to approach the man. He realized only after he tapped the young man's shoulder.

"... May... I help you?" The young man replied, confused as to why a stranger approached him.

"I... Uh... I thought I might as well have a drink with someone since I'm alone tonight!" The red haired boy quickly replied with a stutter.

"...Very well." The man replied as he made room for the red haired boy.

"So uhh... Name's Shanks. Yours is...?"

"Mihawk. Dracule Mihawk." Mihawk replied as he gulped down the booze in front of him.

"So why are you alone? Are you waiting for someone? Also, nice sword; it looks heavy though. By the way have you hear..."

"Do you normally ask this many questions to strangers?" Mihawk replied unamused.

"Oh... I'm sorry it's a bad habit of mine. It's... Just that today's not been that great of a day. You know what? Let's change the subject. Where did you get that sword of yours?" Shanks quickly looked at the sword Mihawk had behind him. 

"It's a long story. Anyways, are you side you're ok? You don't seem fine." Mihawk said as he looked at Shanks observantly.

"What? Of course I am! What makes you say that?"

"... You. You don't seem like the type of man to cry." Mihawk said as he leaned back on his chair.

Surprised, Shanks quickly wiped his cheeks to see that he in fact, has been crying. He wiped the tears away and looked away.

"I'm... I'm fine! I swear! I... Just need some fresh air." He replied as he got up from his seat. He placed his payment down and started to walk away.

"Wait. I need to go get some air too. I'll go with you." Mihawk said as he began to follow Shanks out.

After walking around the town for a while, the two man decided to part ways.

"So uh... Where are you planning on going?" Shanks asked Mihawk as he looked out towards the night sky.

"I'll be traveling around the seas for a while. I don't like to stay in one place for a long time." Mihawk replied as he took something out from his pockets.

"Here. Take this. It's a vivre card. I think you know how to use it. Come find me when you've stopped being such a baby."

"I... I'm not a baby! I.. I just had a rough day! Anyways, I'm going to travel around for a while too. Maybe find a crew of my own. Hey let's fight the next time we meet! I swear I'll be strong and beat you in the fight!" Shanks replied with a wide grin.

Surprised by Shanks's smile, Mihawk blushed, but quickly looked away to hide it from the red haired man.

"F..Fine! You'll see how strong I really am the next time we meet!"

The two man parted ways, having not the slightest clue as to when they would see each other again. They had no idea that they were slowly growing feelings for each other.


	2. Chapter 2

Shanks decided to stay on the island for a little longer. He could have stayed in the inn, but instead he resided in a self made hut in the woods. He promised himself that until their next encounter, he would train hard everyday.

It wasn't the horrifying beasts in the woods that made Shanks uncomfortable. It was loneliness. He realized how much he missed his old crew; the way they talked all night long, forgetting about the problems, and talking about hidden treasures of the world. The more he thought about it, the more he felt heart broken.

"I can't live my life cowering in my own emotions. I need to be stronger. For me." The young man thought to himself. He noticed tears dripping down the face, then quickly wiped them away. "No more crying. I can't appear weak to enemies."

Shanks walked around for a while, trying to calm himself. He took in the beautiful landscape: a waterfall with a small lake surrounded by trees, small animals running around, a small cave, and a great view of the sky. He never saw anything as beautiful as this before. Or has he? He couldn't remember. He was too caught up in fights that he never took the time to notice his surroundings.

"Maybe staying in the woods can help me forget about the past..." He thought to himself as he traveled deeper into the woods.

He loved traveling. Staying one spot was too boring and dull. That's why he traveled around the seas. Sailing in his coffin boat, Mihawk set off from the town, hoping to meet strong swordsmen to battle with. So far, no one was strong enough to even leave a scratch. Everyone he fought was too weak. He still traveled nevertheless in hopes to fight someone strong.

He arrived on an uninhabited island full of large beasts. He might as well train along side monsters if he can't find strong swordsmen.

Mihawk built a small shelter out of wood, and expertly made a camping ground in the middle of the forest.  
Maybe it was because it was untouched by men, because the forest was beautiful and blooming with life. It's what would be truly described as mother nature's gift to the world.

It wasn't until a few moments later he promised a fight with Shanks. At the thought of meeting him again, he smiled. Hopefully this man would be strong enough to match his strength. He soon fell asleep with the thought of having a duel with the red haired man.


	3. Chapter 3

A couple of months passed by as the red haired man trained in the forest. He knew he was in there for a while, but didn't know exactly how long has passed by until he reached the town once again.

"Wait 9 months?! I was training for 9 months in that forest?!" Shanks exclaimed at the news of what the date was. "I was so busy training I didn't even notice time go by!"

He may not have noticed the time pass by, but he did know exactly one thing. What he was training for. He wanted to prove to Mihawk how strong he was. He wanted to meet him once more.

Shanks decided to set sail to where Mihawk was. He took his vivre card out and went to the dock. His ship was still in a good condition, so he took the rope off the dock and raised the sails.

"Just watch Mihawk. I'll be the first person to beat you in a duel!" He said to himself. With confidence, he set sail to the island he was on.

**************  
Mihawk wasn't too concerned about visitors on the island. The island wasn't marked on the map for some reason, so there was a only a small chance of meeting people here. Knowing this, he was worried that Shanks would not be able to find him. What if the vivre card didn't work well? It would be a shame if he wasn't able to see the beautiful red hair again.

During the months that have passed by, Mihawk trained night and day. He even managed to tame every beast that lived on the island. He was certain that he was stronger than Shanks. But that was up to their long awaited duel to decide.

While Mihawk was unaware of what Shanks was doing, the red haired man was planning on sneaking up on Mihawk. It would be like a surprise visit.

As Shanks neared the island Mihawk was on, he began to feel nervous. What if the duel doesn't turn out the way he imagined it to be? He decided to forget about his worries and focus on meeting him.

Because the island was so big, he didn't know where to start looking. He knew Mihawk was here because of his coffin boat that was located near the shore. Maybe he's inland, Shanks thought.

Shanks reached the shore and dragged his boat onto the shore to keep it from drifting away. He decided to search for him deep in the forest. "I'll run into him somewhere on this island for sure." He thought to himself as he made his way to the forest.

Mihawk was unaware of the visitor on the island. He was busy trying to meditate. He went to the waterfall near the lake, and stripped down. He didn't like being completely naked because he didn't want any surprises by his enemy. He just took his shirt off and carried his sword with him. Mihawk placed his sword gently on a rock nearby, and sat down under the waterfall. He closed his eyes and blocked out noises around him.

Shanks found a river flowing near by, and knew that the swordsman would be near by a water source, so he began to follow the path carved by the gentle flow of the water. As he walked, he began to wonder about what Mihawk has been doing all this time. Probably training, but who knows what really happened.

Shanks stopped in his tracks and looked up from the spot. He saw a beautiful lake with a waterfall in the distance. If he could climb that waterfall, he could use the height as an advantage to look for Mihawk. He didn't notice the meditating man until he was closer to the lake. It caught him off guard, since he didn't expect to see him so soon.

Shanks hid behind a tree to observe what the swordsman was doing. He just sat under the waterfall with his eyes closed. Good. It means that he hasn't been sighted yet. The red haired man thought that it would be a good chance to be able to sneak up to him, so he walked out of his sight stealthily.

As he got a better look of the man, Shanks's face turned red. He looked at even the tiniest of the details. The scar he had on his chest, the well defined muscles of his body, and his masculine face. "No no no what am I thinking! Let's just focus on catching him off guard." He thought to himself. He still couldn't stop blushing at the sight of the man, even as he took his mind off of him.

Mihawk knew something was close by, but he didn't know it was a human. He thought it was just some animal walking by, since the lake was a common place visited by the beasts. It was until he opened one of his eyes he knew it wasn't an animal. He saw a glimpse of a red blur nearby behind a tree, and knowing all the beasts in the forest, this wasn't one of them. But for some reason, he felt a sense of relief and familiarity from it. He knew it was Shanks sneaking up on him.

"I know you're out there Red Hair. You don't have to stare at my body at such distance." Mihawk shouted into the forest as he smiled. He was certainly happy to see the man again.

As Shanks heard the shouting, his nervousness went away. He finally would be able to see Mihawk one to one without any distractions.


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't just friendship. It was deeper than that.

Shanks walked out into the open to face Mihawk. He had a mixed feeling about looking at him. He was nervous, yet he was also greeted by a sense of familiarity.

"Haha guess you found me..." Shanks said as he walked out with his hands up. He couldn't stop himself from staring at the other man's body.

"Enjoying the view?" Mihawk replied back with a grin on his face.

"I.. I wasn't looking at it in that way! I was just... Looking at your scars. It seems fairly new, that's all." Shanks quickly replied blushing.

"Ah, you mean this? I was fighting the alpha beast of the jungle and he left a nasty mark. I assume you're here for a duel, no?" Mihawk said while he gently brushed at his scar on his chest.

"Of course! I can assure you I'm stronger than I was before!" Shanks replied as he took out his sword.

Mihawk walked over to the boulder where the sword laid, and he grabbed it.

Both man got into a fighting position and readied themselves.

It was Shanks who made the first move. As the red haired man dashed with his sword, Mihawk prepared himself to block. He gulped nervously as Shanks approached. Then... Shanks fainted.

"What? Hey are you alright? Shanks!"

************************************  
Shanks woke up with a headache. "Huh? Where... Wait what happened?"

"That's what I'd like to ask you idiot." Mihawk quietly said as he drank water.

Shanks sat up but lost his balance. He gave up trying to sit up and just lied down.

"I don't know... Maybe it's that stupid bug that bit me while I was sailing here. See?" Shanks rolled up his sleeves to show Mihawk his bite mark.

"You idiot! Did you get bit by a oosusumebachi ?! Those things can kill you with a sting! You have to get the venom out now!" Mihawk exclaimed as he quickly went over to the lying man.

"Oh don't worry I got most of the venom out... I think. I mean I probably did?" Shanks chuckled. He felt fine. At least to him it felt like it.

Mihawk sighed. "How do you even get through living when you're this clueless?"

Shanks shrugged. "The venom probably faded away by now. Hey let's have a duel now!"

He tried to stand up, only to fall, at which Mihawk stepped in to support him.

"Look. You're not well enough to fight. Rest for now and we'll fight tomorrow, ok?" Mihawk said worriedly. He then swept Shanks off his feet and walked to the direction of his hut.

"W..W...What are you doing? I can walk by myself! You don't have to carry me!" Shanks, who's face lit bright red, struggled to be free from Mihawk's grasp.

"No. You can't. You can't even sit up properly without wobbling. I'm taking you back to my hut so you can rest there. Stop trying to resist or else I'm going to leave you to crawl with the beasts. It's turning night time soon too." Mihawk replied back with a straight face.

"F..fine. Have it your way." Shanks pouted but gave up resisting.

Mihawk carried Shanks back to the hut and laid him in the bed. He then briefly went out to grab fresh water. He poured it into a cup then lifted it to Shanks's mouth, to which he drank without any complaints.

"You need to get some rest. The venom may have faded, but it's still in you." Mihawk told Shanks as he got up to prepare a temporary bed on the ground.

"I'm fine. I swear. Also, you can have the bed. It's yours anyways. I can sleep on the floor." Shanks replied back as he tried to get up.

"No. You came here to have a duel. I'm not fighting anyone who has a disadvantage against me." Mihawk got down and sat against the wall. "Just rest. I'll look out for the night."

"... Hey." Shanks said quietly to Mihawk.

"What is it?"

"... Nothing. Just... Thank you." Shanks turned to face away from Mihawk. He didn't want the swordsman to see his red face. "Good night."

Mihawk stayed up for as long as he could to look out for the both of them. He constantly looked back at Shanks sleeping soundlessly on the bed. The duel had to be delayed, but it wasn't too bad. At least he got to see the red haired man again.


	5. Chapter 5

Mihawk sat quietly and looked out at the night sky as the other man slept. It was beautiful as always, with bright shining stars lighting the way. It was as if he was staring at heaven itself. He stood up to take a brief walk, hoping that nothing bad happens to Shanks while he is gone.

He stood up and walked into the forest. He knew the forest well enough to navigate through the dark area without any help. He made his way towards the waterfall to get some fresh water.

As he neared the waterfall, he noticed something odd. He felt as if he was being observed, kind of like being stalked. He knew only large beats roamed around the forest during the night, so he was certain it wasn't native animals that lived around here.

Mihawk grabbed his sword and unsheathed it. "Who's out there? Show yourself." He said into the forest, unsure of where they were located.

He got ready to strike as he heard rustling noises near the bush. He approached the sound, and raised his sword. He was ready to fight, when suddenly the creature walked out. It was... Shanks?

Surprised, Mihawk lowered his sword. "Shanks? But I thought you were sleeping? Why did you follow me?"

"I umm... I needed some fresh air. I woke up not long after you left. After I noticed you were gone, I came outside to find for you... And I guess I ended up stalking you all the way here..." Shanks replied sheepishly.

"Oh. I'm sorry I shouldn't have left. I should have been looking after you."

"No no! It's fine. Really. I just needed some air."

Mihawk and Shanks stared at each other for a while, until Mihawk spoke out.

"Hey, uhm. I'm going to get some water. Do you want some too?"

"You know what. That wouldn't be such a bad idea."

Both men headed towards the lake, where they reached down to scoop up some fresh water. They spent some time getting water. After they were done, both got up and stretched.

"Wow... It's... So beautiful... I've never seen such beautiful night sky before!" Shanks exclaimed as he observed the night sky.

"Yea, it also took me by a surprise when I first arrived here. Not a bad place to train, huh?" Mihawk answered back as he too, looked up at the sky once more.

"Yea... It reminds me of the sky I always looked at with my old crew." Shanks quietly said under his breath. He hoped Mihawk didn't hear it.

"... Hey. Who's crew were you a part of? You keep mentioning it." Mihawk asked after a few moment of silence.

"Oh... I was under the Pirate King Roger." Shanks replied with a grin. He may have separated from the rest, but he still had pride as a crew mate under the pirate king himself.

"I see. Do... You miss them? Your crew I mean."

"I did. But it's a thing of the past now. I can't let the past hold me back."

Both men stared into the sky in silence. They didn't know what to say to each other any more.

"Hey. Let's go back to the hut. We both need to rest." Mihawk finally said to break the silence.

"Oh. Right. Yea let's go back." Shanks replied back. For a moment he thought he was going to fall. Maybe he didn't get enough rest. He still felt weak from the venom.

"Hey... Does... The venom have some kind of a different affect other than... You know... Being a venom?" Shanks asked Mihawk.

"You mean like... Other side effects? You may have a similar feeling of being drunk with slight headache, vomiting, coughing, sudden rush of adrenaline, having delusions, etcetera etcetera. What's wrong? Are you feeling ok?" Mihawk said worriedly.

"Huh? I feel fine... Don't worry about me..." Shanks replied back as he touched his forehead with his hand. Definitely a fever. Something he wished didn't come in front of Mihawk. He promised himself that he wouldn't show any weakness in front of the other man, yet it couldn't be stopped. He stumbled, and tried to grab onto a nearby tree for support.

"Hey! Are you ok? Here I'll carry you back." Mihawk said as he rushed to the red haired man's side.

Shanks didn't resist the help. He couldn't stop himself from being carried away.

"Why? Why can't I be stronger? I trained so hard to be able to go on my own, yet I keep having to rely on someone for help. Am I just too weak? How come I just can't do any damn thing on my own?" Shanks said to himself, but loud enough for the other man to hear. He couldn't stop himself from crying either.

Seeing Shanks like this took Mihawk by surprise. He stopped walking, and gently lowered Shanks against a tree.

"Hey. Listen. I know you're strong. You trained on your own, and fought through loneliness. You kept on going even though you craved the feeling of being with your crew. I think that the fact that you were able to make it this far is a sign saying that you're strong." Mihawk quietly whispered as he leaned closer to Shanks.

"But I just can't fight my emotions! I... I just can't go without relying on someone! You don't understand what it's like being so lonely after being with a family... Why can't I just do this myself? Why can't I go without your help?" Shanks said as he quietly sobbed. He couldn't fight back the tears any more.

Mihawk raised his hands to wipe the tears away. He slowly moved his hands down his cheeks, down to his necks. He leaned closer and placed his lips onto the other man's lips. It was soft. He slowly took in the taste of Shank's lips. Salty with his tears, yet sweet with fresh water from the lake.

Mihawk moved his hands to softly hold the red haired man's face. Mihawk silently asked for permission inside Shank's mouth with his tongue, to which Shanks showed no resistance. Mihawk gently touched the other man's tongue with his own. They both stayed like this until they broke away for air.

"But... Why? Did... Did you.." Shanks asked but was cut off by Mihawk.

"From the first time I have ever laid my eyes on you, I've fallen in love with you. That's why I cared so much for you." Mihawk replied back. It must have answered the question Shank's was about to ask, because he just stared in silence.

"Let's go back to the hut. You need to rest." Mihawk picked Shanks back up, and walked towards the direction of the hut. They were silent during the trip. The only sound they heard was the sound of the water flowing down the river and the wings of nocturnal birds. It was going to be one hell of a morning, Mihawk thought as he walked into the hut.

Shanks was already asleep in his arms. Mihawk gently placed him down the bed, and sat down on the floor. At least they both in a way confessed their feelings for each other. He grinned at the thought of Shanks falling for him, and quietly drifted into the dream land.


	6. Chapter 6

Shanks woke up earlier than he anticipated. He saw that it was just past sun rise, assuming it to be around 7 A.M. He sat up, and noticed that he was no long nauseated. He stretched and yawn, and noticed Mihawk sleeping on the floor. As he stared at the sleeping man, Shanks was reminded of what happened last night. He remembered it all; Mihawk's confession, their passionate moment together, and how he finally found out what the emptiness in his chest was. It was longing for the man. It wasn't loneliness at all.

Shanks stood quietly for a while, and decided to leave for the lake. Maybe taking a quick dip in the lake will clear up his mind more.

************************************  
Mihawk woke up and realized that he was lying on the bed. Shanks was gone, but most of his belongings were still in the hut. It was still early in the morning, so he assumed Shanks went out to the lake. He decided to also leave for the lake, since they were running out of fresh water.

Mihawk rose up from the bed, and walked outside. It was mid summer, so the heat from the sun was strong, even in the morning. He walked along the dirt path, and recalled all that happened last night. At the thought of what happened, Mihawk's face turned bright red. How could he have been so stupid? How was he going to face Shanks now?

He stopped in his track to try to think of what to say when he met up with Shanks. What would he say? He couldn't just say forget about what happened; it was too late for that. Maybe the venom might have made Shanks a bit hazy. There was a chance that Shanks wouldn't remember what happened last night. He couldn't risk it, but he did it anyways.

He walked in the direction of the lake, and as he had guessed, Shanks was there. He was half naked, drying his clothes on a rock and lying face down on the boulder next to his clothes. He could well see him breathing, so he wasn't dead. Probably asleep at most.

Mihawk approached him quietly to avoid waking him up. He sat down next to him, and leaned down to the water to drink.

Sitting back up while wiping the water dripping down his chin, Mihawk stared at Shanks. He was asleep alright. He slept soundlessly as the sounds of nature surround him. Unknowingly, Mihawk's hand reached out to touch Shanks's hair. It was a beautiful shade of red, like a fully bloomed rose.

As he was stroking his hair, Shanks woke up. Well, kind of.

"...huh? Ohhh haaaaiiiiiii Mihawk~" Shanks said as he smiled. It was probably because he just woke up, but he sounded more drunk than him actually being drunk. But one thing did remain the same: his smiles.

Shanks didn't bother to remove Mihawk's hand out of his hair. It was almost as if he was enjoying the touch. Mihawk didn't really do much either, other than admire the color of the hair.

Shanks didn't get up right away. He just flipped himself so that his back was to the boulder. He moved closer to Mihawk, placing his head on the man's thighs. Mihawk didn't object to it. For some reason, it felt natural. He continued to stroke the red hair.

Shanks closed his eyes and drowned out to the sound of the waterfall. Has it always been that loud?

"...Hey Mihawk. You know... About yesterday..." Shanks began to speak out.

"Were you fully aware of what was going on?" Mihawk asked nervously.

Shanks lied in silence. After a few minutes has passed by, Shanks finally answered him.

"...Yes. I was."

Mihawk didn't know how to feel about that. He knew what he was doing, but he couldn't control himself in the heat of the moment.

"I... I'm sor..."

"No. You don't have to be sorry about it. If anything, it should be me that's thanking you."

Shanks reopened his eyes and stared into Mihawk's eyes. He lifted his hands to touch the swordsman's cheeks.

"But... I didn't really do anything for you. All I did was tell you how I felt..." Mihawk said in confusion.

"That's all I needed to hear. It filled in that empty gap inside me. I realized how much I secluded myself from the world that it was natural for me to feel lonely... Until you came along. You helped me realized what it was like to have someone close to me again."

They stared at each other for a long time. Mihawk wished that this moment would last forever, to have time stop at this exact moment. But he knew reality didn't work that way.

Mihawk broke away from the silence first. He gently moved Shanks's head out of his laps and stood up. It was getting too hot now, so he wanted to take a dip in the water to cool down. He took off his boots and the shirt, but as always, left the pants on.

"Going for a swim?" Shanks asked with a smile. It was a different kind of smile, like a predator watching its prey move.

"Yes, it's getting too hot. Why don't you join me?" Mihawk answered back. He noticed the evil grin on Shanks's face. Maybe it was a mistake asking him.

Without a word, Shanks stood up and dashed towards Mihawk. He tackled him to the water, making both of them fall in.

"Are you insane? Why the hell would you do that?" Mihawk yelled at Shanks as soon as he got his on foot.

Shanks didn't answer him. Instead, he laughed, and splashed water at Mihawk.

"Aw come on Mihawk! Don't be such a kid~ Play with me!"

Since there was nothing better to do, Mihawk gave in to Shanks's words. Just a little bit of relaxation couldn't hurt, could it?


	7. Chapter 7

Mihawk and Shanks spent their times together on the island for 3 months. They trained together, ate together, showered together; pretty much did everything together. They became much closer than ever.

However their relationship didn't change much. The furthest they went was a light kiss on the cheek once in a while, and nothing more. They wanted to keep the friendship just the way it was, at least until they both were 100% certain of their feelings towards one another.

In the 3 months they lived together, Mihawk learned many things about Shanks, and Shanks learned a lot about Mihawk. There was no secret held between them. Or at least that's what each of them thought.

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One night after the 3 months...

Shanks and Mihawk both laid down on the grass nearby a cliff. It was dangerous, but the view of the sky was amazing. They came out here often, but it never ceased to amaze them. They both stared at the sky night silently, enjoying the view of the night sky.

"Hey... Mihawk. I have to tell you something." Shanks quietly said.

"Yes? Is there something wrong?"

"No. It's not that. It's just... I think I'm going to travel again."

Mihawk sat up at the words. "Travel? You mean to go back to the seas?"

"Exactly. I want to find a crew of my own. I want to have a family like crew, like how it was back on Roger's ship."

Mihawk silently stared at him. He thought of how each day without Shanks passed by. Boring. Dull. _Lonely_.

"I see. If that's what you truly desire... I will not stop you."

"Hey now, don't sound so sad. I'll be visiting you often! I'm always going to track you with the vivre card silly~" Shanks replied back happily.

"... Tsk. I feel bad for your crew mates." Mihawk said as he got up and started walking towards the direction of the lake.

"H.. Hey wait up! And what was that supposed to mean?"

Shanks quickly got up to catch up to Mihawk. "And where are you going? Isn't this the way to the lake?"

"Yes. It is. You can go back. I'm going to take a quick dip in the waters."

Shanks silently walked. Maybe he should leave Mihawk alone for the night. He did just tell him that he was going to leave.

"... Ok. I'll be at the hut then." Shanks turned around and walked towards the hut. But as soon as Mihawk got out of sight, he stealthily followed Mihawk.

Mihawk gazed up at the night sky as he walked to the lake. What was this pain he was feeling? Is it because Shanks told him that he was leaving? Whatever it was, he didn't want to let it bother him. Which is why he decided to take a dive in the lake. He wanted to forget about it for now.

He reached the lake not long after. Since it was still summer, night time didn't help with the heat. By the time he got to the edge of the lake, he was drenched in sweat. He took off his sword and his top and got down to drink the water.

He took off his boots, then walked towards the waterfall. Usually standing under the waterfall helped to relieve stress for him.

He stood under the waterfall, enjoying the falling water on his body. He thought the pain would have gone away by now, but it didn't. The more he tried to forget about it, it came back stronger. What exactly was this pain?

Shanks, looking at Mihawk from a distance, was surprised to see that Mihawk hasn't noticed him. Usually Mihawk would notice Shanks, even when there was distractions everywhere. Perhaps Mihawk was too busy concentrating on his thoughts to have noticed. Shanks was about to leave when he noticed something off about Mihawk. He was... Crying. He couldn't see the tears because of the waterfall, but Shanks knew his body movement well enough to know that Mihawk was crying. Is that why Mihawk wanted to be alone? Because he didn't want anyone seeing him cry?

Shanks was about to go towards Mihawk, but stopped. No. This was something Mihawk needed to solve on his own. He couldn't interfere. So Shanks turned around and headed towards the hut. Maybe he should leave early in the morning without telling Mihawk. It would be better than a sad goodbye.

Shanks woke up earlier than usual to leave the island. It pained him to leave Mihawk without saying anything, but it was better for the both of them.

Shanks quietly walked out with all of his belongings in his bag. He looked back to see if Mihawk was sleeping. Thankfully, he was.

Shanks made his way to the boat, and made sure to leave no trace of his departure. If Mihawk found him missing, he would definitely know that Shanks left the island.

Putting all of his belongings in his boat, Shanks prepared to set sail. Double checking everything, he was about to push the boat into the water but stopped.

"Leaving so soon?"

It was Mihawk. He followed Shanks without him knowing. He must have been awake when Shanks left.

"I... I just... Thought it would be better for the both of us to..."

"To what? To leave without saying goodbye?"

"I... Look I know you're upset, but I was doing what I thought was right."

"Shanks. The world is cruel out there. Once you leave the island, even I wouldn't know if I will ever see you again. Saying goodbye is the least you can do."

Shanks, didn't know what to say. What Mihawk said was true. Leaving the island means being chased by danger again. He could die out there, and worst, never see Mihawk ever again.

"I'm sorry. I truly am. Look. I promise you nothing bad will happen to me out there. I will find you again, and we can have that duel we didn't really go around to."

Mihawk, looking disappointed, approached Shanks. He reached his hands out to touch the red haired man's face. He gently moved his hands to Shanks's neck. He moved in closer to kiss him.

It was light at first, but soon turned passionate. Mihawk moved his hands to grab at Shanks's waist, and Shanks moved his arms to place around Mihawk's shoulders. Their tongues touched lightly, and they both felt the lips of each other's. Every time they had their moments together, it felt like their bodies connected. It was like an electric impulse running between them.

Shanks broke away and gasped for air. For a moment, he thought everything around him stopped. Looking into Mihawk's eyes, he smiled. He hugged Mihawk tightly and gave him a light kiss on the cheeks.

"It's not going to be forever. I swear. You'll see Mihawk. I'll come back stronger, and with a crew!"

Shanks let go of Mihawk, and pushed his boat into the water. He got on, and looked back at Mihawk and smiled.

Mihawk stood on the shore, and gave Shanks a short wave. It wouldn't be forever. He knew it, but it still felt sad to know that he was going away. But it won't matter, as long as Shanks could find him again. He knew he will. He hoped for the best, and walked back to the hut.


	8. Chapter 8

He knew he would meet Shanks again. At least... It's what he hoped for. He didn't want to imagine what it would be like to lose him.

Mihawk spent almost a year on the island he was training on after Shanks. After more exploring, he found out that the creatures on surface weren't the only inhabitants on the island. He found more and more dangerous beasts that roamed underground. More training for him it seemed.

Mihawk knew how the seas beyond the Grand Line were dangerous. Full of strong opponents like the yonkos and the marine admirals, the New World wasn't a place for weaklings. Mihawk hoped to find a place there for him.

After he fought all the beasts, Mihawk sailed out to new islands. He needed more training. He wanted to become the best swordsman in the world.

He went from island to island battling people. No one managed to beat Mihawk even once. Hearing this news, the marines thought of it as a rising threat. However, instead of getting rid of him, they asked Mihawk to become one of the Warlord of the Seas. It would be nice to have someone powerful like him in that position.

After much thought, Mihawk agreed to the terms. As months passed by with his new title, more and more people began to recognize him. They started calling him the strongest swordsman in the world, and it stuck around.

Shanks, on the other hand, traveled from island to island looking for new crew mates. Even though his ship was too small for an official crew, Shanks managed to raid other pirates for loots. He could buy a big ship from Water 7 to travel into the New World.

For a year Shanks traveled around gathering fellow pirates. It was small at first, but it grew steadily. From Ben Beckman to Lucky Roo, Shanks began to open his heart more and more to new crew mates. Soon enough, he had a strong crew and gained fame as the Red Hair Pirates.

Shanks didn't tell anyone about his relationship with Mihawk, except for Ben. Since Ben was his first mate, Shanks felt comfortable telling him everything.

"... I see. Shanks, if that's how you feel, you should visit him. It's been more than 3 years."

"But... I just... Don't know how to face him. I mean I'd be happy to see him again, but... I just don't know." Shanks said as he twiddled his thumbs.

"It's obvious that you want to see him. Let's head out to the New World, since it's most probable that he's there."

"If you say so first mate~" Shanks gave Ben a smile and headed towards the rest of the crew to tell them the news.

After a short journey, the Red Hair Pirates finally managed to arrive in the New World. Shanks didn't know how big his reputation was on the other side of the Grand Line, but once he landed on an island, he knew exactly how big.

Everyone knew him and his crew. Even street punks ran off when they saw the pirates walking down the road. At least Shanks didn't have to worry about getting his money stolen.

Mihawk didn't know what to expect in the New World. All he knew was that he heard the news of Shanks being there. He heard of the crew Shanks lead, and how powerful they were. Maybe Shanks was strong enough to be a good opponent.

Mihawk's reputation was also big in the New World. It seemed like everyone knew him as the greatest swordsman, even without knowing his full power. Pirates feared him, and hid themselves from Mihawk's view. Seems like finding Shanks was going to be easier than he thought. He would be the only pirate that wouldn't run off.

Mihawk stayed on an island for quite a while. He knew Shanks had his vivre card to track him down, so they were guaranteed to meet. Unless that idiot lost the damn card.

Shanks of course took special care of Mihawk's vivre card. He wanted to make sure it was always in his possession to find him when they were separated.

Shanks followed the vivre card, and soon reached the island where Mihawk was staying. It was night time by the time they reached their location, and the town was lit up very brightly. It was a fairly large town, with many buildings lit up to light the pirate's path.

As he walked along, he could feel the tense in the air. Shanks listened in closely to the murmurs that surrounded them.

"...how is it possible that not only the strongest swordsman is here, but also the Red Haired Pirates?!"

"...shh! Keep your voice down! You might start a fight with them if you're so loud!"

Shanks was right. Mihawk was on this island. Following the vivre card, he finally stopped in front of a bar. Of course he would be drinking. Taking in deep breaths, Shanks worked up the courage and went in. His crew soon followed.

It was loud inside, with bar fights here and there. It was lively, and it brought a smile to Shanks's face. Either everyone was too drunk to care about Shanks and Mihawk, or they were just ignoring them.

Shanks walked in deeper into the bar, and spotted the swordsman quietly drinking with his feet up on table. Same as usual.

"Sir, you shouldn't put your feet up on the tables." Shanks said to Mihawk in a deep voice.

"... And you shouldn't try to imitate the bar tender you idiot." Mihawk replied back. Shanks could tell just by his saying that Mihawk was smiling.

Mihawk got up and turned around to face Shanks. As he got up, the Red Haired Pirates prepared to draw out their weapons.

"No. He's not a threat. Let the captain and the swordsman talk. You guys can just drink freely." Ben said as he walked closer to Shanks.

"And you. You better not disappear on us Shanks. Don't be so reckless." Ben walked away and got himself a drink after warning Shanks.

"So... What an honor to meet the captain of the infamous Red Hair Pirates." Mihawk said as he mockingly bowed.

"And the same to you, master swordsman." Shanks smiled as he mimicked the other man's movement.

"It's been a while Shanks. Hope you're strong enough to be a worthy opponent."

"I'll be more than enough. Forget about that for now, and let's get wasted!" Shanks smiled as he grabbed the other man's arm and ordered booze for the both of them. They had a lot to talk about, and what better way to do so while getting drunk?


	9. Chapter 9

Shanks and Mihawk ended up drinking for hours. They did have a lot to talk about, since they haven't seen each other in a long time.

"Heard you became one of the Warlords. How's that working out for you huh?" Shanks asked Mihawk as he chugged down his booze.

"Actually, nothing much changed since then. All I get is a nasty glare from pirates like you." Mihawk replied back as he took a gulp of his drink.

"Hey don't call me that! You're so mean to me Mihawk!" Shanks let out a laugh, to which Mihawk smiled to.

They spent the night chatting about their journey and the difficulties they faced during those time. They didn't even notice the time pass by, until Ben came up to them after a while.

"Sorry to bother both of you, but it's already 3 A.M. Captain, if you want to spend the night with him, we'll be waiting for you on the ship."

"Awww thanks first mate~ you're so sweeeeet~" Shanks replied back. Anyone could clearly tell that this man was drunk.

"Thank you. I'll take care of Shanks. Don't worry about him." Mihawk said to Ben, who was walking to the ship with the rest of the crew.

Mihawk glanced at Shanks to see what he was up to. He was stumbling around, laughing at everything. How the hell did he fall in love for this clumsy guy in the first place? He went over to Shanks and lightly tapped his shoulders.

"Hey Shanks. There's an inn near by. Let's go get a room. You're to drunk to do anything."

"Wait I want to go up to the mountains. I wanna see the stars." Shanks looked at Mihawk with puppy eyes.

"It's a little late for that Shanks."

"Please?"

Mihawk stared at him for a some time. He gave out a sigh then finally nodded. They headed north, and walked along the path to the mountain top. It was a fairly short path, and it led up to a cliff like hill.

It was like the view they saw from 3 years ago. It was the same sky, same stars, but it felt different for some reason.

"Hey Shanks, are you feeling better?"

"Yea. I just know I'm going to have a terrible hangover tomorrow though."

Shanks and Mihawk sat down near a tree, and leaned on the trunks. It was dark out, but the moonlight shined brightly in the night sky.

They sat in silence, admiring the view. It was nostalgic for the both of them.

"Hey... Mihawk... To tell you the truth, I never had a day that passed by without thinking about you..."

"Are you talking to me as a drunk person, or are you sober now?" Mihawk replied back without taking his eyes off the sky.

"Don't think of me as a complete drunkard you idiot. I'm sober... At least that's what I think I am."

Shanks looked down at his hands. He hoped Mihawk couldn't see his face turn bright red.

Mihawk turned his heads to look at Shanks. He moved closer to Shanks until they sat directly next to each other. Without hesitating, Mihawk took a hold of Shanks's hand. Shanks didn't say anything, but he didn't object to it either.

Shanks leaned in closer to Mihawk, and laid his head on the swordsman's shoulders. He closed his eyes, and let his minds wonder off for a while. Mihawk smelled like sweat and metal, just like when they were together years ago.

Mihawk raised his hands to touch Shanks's hair. It was a beautiful shade of red, like how it was 3 years ago. He didn't realize how much he had missed it until now.

Shanks opened his eyes, and stood up. He stretched, then looked into the sky.  
He inhaled deeply, and let out a big sigh.

"Sky's the limit, they say... I hope what they say is true, cause I want to one day be the strongest person to live." Shanks said to Mihawk as he turned around to face him.

"You can't be the strongest man alive if you can't beat me Shanks. We still have to duel." Mihawk replied back unamused. It seemed to Shanks that nothing ever amused Mihawk. He just seemed to have everything planned out in the back of his mind, and everything falls into his expectations.

Shanks stood in silence, pondering what to say to amuse Mihawk. What can catch this man off guard?

Mihawk was still sitting on the ground leaning against the tree. He looked exhausted, as if he took a 100 year journey around the world. Then again, he did drink more than usual because of Shanks.

He closed his eyes and lowered his hat just enough to cover his eyes. He assumed Shanks would sit back down, or just stare at the sky and ponder about things. He tend to do that often.

Just like what Mihawk thought, Shanks stared into the sky, still pondering about what can catch Mihawk off guard. He then got an idea.

Shanks slowly made his way to Mihawk without making a sound. He bent down, and reached for Mihawk's hat. Just as he was about to remove his hat, Mihawk woke up and grabbed Shanks's hand.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Erm... Nooothhhinnggg?" Shanks replied back panicking. Can this guy sense everything around him without even opening his eyes?

Mihawk, still looking unamused, let go of Shanks's hand and closed his eyes once more.

Taking another go, this time Shanks threw away to idea of being stealthy. He quickly removed Mihawk's hat, which made Mihawk open his eyes. As he was about to speak, Shanks leaned in to kiss Mihawk. This definitely caught Mihawk in a surprise.

But it wasn't the kiss that caught him in surprise. It was the fact that it was Shanks who made the first move that caught him off guard. Nevertheless, Mihawk didn't reject Shanks.

Mihawk embraced Shanks, and placed his hands on the man's waist. It was more natural now, as if they'd been doing this for more than a million times.

Both missed the sensation they felt when they kissed. It may have been only 3 years, but to them it felt like hundreds of years. They missed the taste of each others lips.

Shanks broke away from the kiss to breath. It was exhilarating, and it was something he longed for. He stared at Mihawk, and gave him a cheerful smile. He hugged Mihawk placed his head on Mihawk's shoulder.

He quietly whispered into Mihawk's ear. " _I_ _missed_ _you_ _so_ _much_ _..._ "

Mihawk hugged Shanks tightly and whispered back. " _So_ _did_ _I_ _,_ _you_ _idiot_ _."_


	10. Chapter 10

Both man stayed on the cliff for a while, then walked back down to the town. It was late at night, but Mihawk and Shanks both agreed that they deserved some time together before they parted ways again. They decided to stay on the island for a week, so that the pirates can get a rest before their journey, and the captain and the swordsman can get to spend some time together.

After informing the Red Hair Pirate's crews, Mihawk and Shanks walked around the town. It was about 3 A.M. in the morning, so most of the stores and restaurants were closed. They just walked around the road, looking at the different types of buildings that stood along the way. No matter how quiet or awkward it got, the two men enjoyed walking side by side together.

"Hey Mihawk~ let's go get a room at the inn~ I'm too tired to walk anym..." Shanks somehow fell asleep in the middle of him speaking. He wobbled side to side, and fell into the hands of Mihawk.

Mihawk gave out an annoyed sigh. "This idiot can't do anything without me, can he?"

Mihawk picked Shanks up, and carried him to the nearest inn. He managed to get the last room available, but it was a single bed. That meant that Shanks and Mihawk had to share a bed together.

Mihawk at first didn't really care. He laid down the sleeping man onto the bed gently, and tucked him under the sheets. He was about to lie down, but suddenly was reminded of his relationship with Shanks. They may be close, but Mihawk didn't want to make Shanks uncomfortable. So Mihawk decided to sleep on the nearby chair.

Shanks woke up not too long after Mihawk fell asleep. He was confused as to where he was, since he didn't remember what happened. He got up to use the restroom, and took a quick shower to sober himself up.

Shanks came out of the restroom to see the sleeping swordsman on the chair. He moved closer to Mihawk, and waved his hands over the other man's face. No response. He must have been extremely tired. Shanks gently carried him to the bed, and lied down next to him. He stared at the quiet sleeping prince, and smiled. No matter how much he looked, Mihawk always looked so innocent and pure when he slept. He had the face of an angel.

Shanks stayed motionless for a couple of minutes, ad decided to go back to sleep. He gave a light kiss on Mihawk's cheeks, and fell back onto the bed to sleep.

Mihawk woke up and sat up on the bed. Wait. He was on the bed. When did he get on the bed last night? He was sure that he slept on the chair last night.

Mihawk looked around but didn't see Shanks anywhere. He assumed that Shanks went out for a quick walk, so he lied back down on the bed. Thanks to the drinking last night, Mihawk had a terrible headache.

Mihawk almost fell back asleep, until he heard Shanks walk back in the room. Mihawk wasn't feeling so well, so he stayed still on the bed.

Shanks walked to where Mihawk was, and placed something down on the table next to the bed. He then sat down gently next to Mihawk, and took out a piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled something on the paper, and placed it on the table.

Shanks paused and looked at Mihawk. He stared at the sleeping man for a while, then walked out.

Mihawk was feeling too lazy to get up to see what Shanks wrote down, so he just laid still on the bed. He managed to fall back asleep, and woke back up about 2 hours later.

Mihawk looked out the window, and saw that it was still early out. The sun was shining brightly, so it was around 12 P.M.. Mihawk looked around the room as he sat down, and noticed that Shanks was still missing. What was that man doing?

He finally went over to the table to see what Shanks left. It was a medicine and a note that said "Hey I bought you some medicine in case you're suffering from a bad hangover. You can thank me with a kiss later~ 3 -Shanks"

Of course he'd say that. But it was nice of him to buy medicine. Mihawk took the medicine, and gulped it down with a glass of water. He still had a slight hangover, but he could feel it go away within minutes.

Mihawk got his belongings together, and checked out of the inn. He walked around, wondering where Shanks went. As usual, he got nasty glares from people around him. He should have known that it would be normal when he became one of the Warlords.

He didn't have to look around for long, since there was only two people on the island that had a reputation. He heard people whispering around the street, and found out that Shanks was in a restaurant. Of course that idiot would be out in the open eating. He probably let down his guard thinking no one would attack him.

Mihawk went to the restaurant where Shanks was. The restaurant was lively, even in mid day. There were pirates and bandits everywhere, drinking and laughing away their worries. Mihawk could care less about these people wasting their money on getting wasted in the middle of day.

He looked around the restaurant, and found Shanks. His beautiful red hair stood out clearly in the crowd, so it was easy to find him. He was also drinking and eating. How classic.

"Mind if I join you on your lunch?" Mihawk said as he approached Shanks.

"Oh sure. I thought no one would approach me but I guess I was... Ohhhhh hey Mihawk~" Realizing that it was Mihawk who was talking to him, Shanks's face brightened with a smile.

"Why the hell are you getting drunk in the middle of the day? Aren't you even slightly worried about your health?" Mihawk questioned the drunk man as he sat down. He stole Shanks's plate of food and took a bite out of his meat.

"Psh since when were you so worried about my health? I'm fine if that's what you're asking. I just wanted lunch, that's all." Shanks took back the plate and gave Mihawk a playful punch at his shoulders. "And no stealing food you thief."

Mihawk let out a sigh. "Stop getting so drunk often. I'm worried about the people around you, not you."

"Rude as always. Whatever, imma get drunk as much as I want." Shanks smiled at Mihawk, and gulped down his booze.

Mihawk let out another sigh. How is this man so feared by everyone when he gets wasted so often? He's either sleeping or getting drunk everyday, which worried Mihawk often.

Mihawk got up from his seat, which surprised Shanks.

"Hey where are you going?"

"Outside, away from the smell of the drunks and alcoholics. Come find me when you're sober." Mihawk walked out of the restaurant and left Shanks's view.

Shanks pondered whether he should go to Mihawk or not, but decided to stay. Mihawk probably went to the cliff to take a nap. He can go find that idiot anywhere, so there was no point in chasing him down. Shanks returned to eating and drinking.

Mihawk actually wasn't much of a drinker. He only drank when he felt down, or on other special occasions. He usually hated the smell of alcohol and tobacco, especially in a cramped area like that restaurant. Breathing in the outside air, Mihawk felt much better already. He'd prefer the nature over that dirty building any day.

Mihawk felt too lazy to walk up the cliff. Instead, he went to the port where his ship and Shanks's ship were docked. Might as well visit the infamous pirate crew's ship when he got the chance.

Mihawk approached the ship, and walked onto the ship. Surprised by the sudden appearance, the crew took out their weapon in an attempt to guard themselves and the ship.

"Relax, gentlemen. I don't come here to terrorize you. Or else your captain might have killed me by now." Mihawk sat down on a crate that was sitting near by.

With the loud commotion that Mihawk caused, Ben Beckmann walked out to greet him.

"Hawkeye. To what pleasure do we owe you? And what happened to Shanks?"

"That idiot's drinking in day time. I just came here out of curiosity, that's all."

When Mihawk mentioned that he was no threat to anyone, the tight tension between the crew and the swordsman relaxed.

Mihawk took his time before saying anything. He could tell by their faces that the crew was still on guard. He smiled , then finally spoke out.

"So. Now that I'm the guest of honor here, would anyone be nice enough to enlighten me with stories of your captain?"


	11. Chapter 11

Mihawk sat around Shanks's crew, listening to their bizarre stories of the journey they had as a crew. From traveling to an island full of dangerous beasts, to an island all but sand, it seemed to Mihawk that Shanks didn't really miss him much. To be fair, he did want a family.

The crew became much friendlier with Mihawk, offering booze and food (which Mihawk denied). They spent about 2 hours talking to each other, but didn't know how fast time was passing by. They didn't really care about what the captain was doing now, since they knew that there wouldn't be a soul that was brave enough to challenge him.

Mihawk warmed up to the crew, telling his stories of the adventures he had as one of the Warlords. He also forgot about Shanks for a while. It was nice though, not having to worry about that idiot constantly.

By the time Shanks exited the tavern, he realized that some time has passed. He drank and drank, hitting on every women that he saw. Too bad they all rejected him.

He was still drunk, but that wasn't something so weird. He got drunk often with his crew often. He wobbled, but still kept his posture as he walked.

Shanks was going to try to find Mihawk, but he felt too lazy to walk up to the cliff. It could probably clear up his mind, but he felt that seeing his crew was a bit more important. He wanted to see how they were doing.

Shanks walked to the dock where his ship was at. He was about to get up to the ship, when he heard loud noises on the ship. Fighting? No, it sounded too cheerful. They were laughing, but at what? Shanks grew curious, and walked up the plank to his ship.

The first thing he saw was his crew in a circular position, as if they were all looking at something. But it wasn't something. It was _someone_. Then he saw the hilt of the sword. No one had a sword that unique. It had to be Mihawk.

None of his crew noticed Shanks walking up. They were too focused on listening to Mihawk. So he took the chance to listen in on the conversation for a while without getting caught.

"...So what's your relationship with our captain? I mean, a pirate befriending a Warlord is a bit odd, is it not?"

"I wasn't a Warlord to start off with. I met your captain before everything happened. We're close friends, that's all. Also, your captain owes me a duel."

"We're not just close, we're _supppeeerr_ r close, aren't we?" Shanks jumped out to correct Mihawk, which surprised everyone.

"Oh look. The drunkard finally decided to come back to the ship. Had fun getting drunk?" Mihawk mockingly said as he stood up and stretched.

"I didn't drink that much..." Shanks replied back embarrassed. I mean, 2 hours isn't too big of a deal, right?

"Sure... As if leaving early in the morning to drink until 2 in the afternoon isn't a _big_ _deal_ _."_

At his words, the crew laughed at the drunk captain. This ticked Shanks off, that his crew was laughing at him while Mihawk was dilly dallying around.

Shanks grabbed Mihawk's collar, and dragged him off the ship. He dragged the swordsman into an abandoned ally and threw him against the wall.

" _What_ _the_ _hell_ _was_ _that_ _for_ _you_ _bastard_ _?!_ " Shanks angrily yelled at Mihawk.

"Don't blame me Mr. I-Dink-for-4-hours-straight. You chose to get drunk, and I chose to visit your crew. At least I care about your crew more than your drunk self."

This ticked off Shanks more. His smartass reply just made the situation worse for Shanks.

Shanks thought about fighting back, but he didn't. Instead, he let Mihawk go, and simply walked away. He was in a foul mood, so he went back to his ship. His crew saw how angry the captain was, so they didn't do anything to stop the man from storming into his cabin.

Mihawk walked out of the ally, and just laughed. Who knew the ferocious Red Haired Pirate's captain can get so butt hurt over something so small? He also walked over to Shanks's ship, but he stopped before getting on. He saw Beckmann and signaled him to come over.

"Tell your captain once he's calm that I left. I want to travel more."

"But didn't you two say you wanted to spend time together?"

"Looks like someone is being a child. Anyways, I need to head over to the marine head quarters to check in for a meeting anyways."

Mihawk jumped off the plank, and walked over to his coffin boat. It was too bad that he didn't get to spend time with Shanks, but maybe the next time they meet they can actually get along well. He set all his equipment down, and left the island.

Ben watched as Mihawk left, and walked back to the main deck. He knocked on the door leading to Shanks before entering.

"Mihawk wanted me to let you know that he left the island."

"That bastard..." Shanks sighed as he leaned back against the chair. Another opportunity to spend time with him gone, just like that. He still kept his vivre card around, so it was likely that they'll see each other again.

"Alright. I want to go back to East Blue at the mean time. I have things to take care of."

"Are you sure you want to leave Mihawk like that?"

"He and I are going to meet again. Don't worry about it."

Shanks smiled, knowing that they were one day going to reunite once more. It won't be long this time. He'll just have to get stronger to beat Mihawk on their duel.


	12. Chapter 12

Mihawk traveled around the seas freely, without any worries about the navy. As long as he didn't betray the navy, the navy didn't really near him. It was peaceful, but also boring. He wanted thrill in his life. The only way to enjoy his time traveling was to fight other swordsmen, but everyone was too weak for him. He now had to wait for Shanks in order to have a legitimate fight.

Meanwhile, Shanks and his crew were busy running from the navy here an there. It was as if they were stalking him. Well, technically they were. Ever since his reputation grew, the navy had been trying harder and harder to capture him. But since Shanks was out of their league, he always managed to beat every single one of them. At least they usually get whatever was on the warships.

Shanks and his crew finally reached the East Blue. Just as he expected, even the rumors of his power spread through this part of the sea. Every pirate crew that he saw ran off, and even the navy didn't even try to approach them. It didn't really matter to him. He had someone to meet, and nothing was going to get in his way.

Shanks landed on an island, the place where he was supposed to meet his friend. He walked around, familiarizing himself to the island. As always, people whispered his name as he walked by, clearly afraid of the man.

"Hey idiot what are you, lost?"

Shanks turned around at the familiar voice, and his face turned bright with a smile.

"Buggy! It's so nice to see you again!" Shanks playfully punched Buggy on the arm and laughed. He was one of the closest friend back on Roger's ship, and Shanks wanted to meet up to have a chat.

"Ow damn it watch yourself! Anyways, let's go grab a drink." And at that, both men left to talk about their journey and their crew members.

Shanks and Buggy talked for the whole day, and finally walked out of the bar as it turned night time. They both wished each other well and parted ways. Shanks finally felt alive again, knowing that his friend was alive and well, and just as lively as he was. He made his way to his ship, and was greeted by the crew. After talking over with Buggy, Shanks finally made his decision.

"Boys, we're chasing after Mihawk. Set sail straight away!"

Mihawk returned back to the place where Shanks and Mihawk trained. He somehow had the feeling that Shanks was coming for him, so he wanted to make their first duel special. He traveled using the log pose, and set sail on his coffin boat.

Meanwhile, Shanks managed to pass over to the New World quicker than he thought. It wouldn't be long before he saw Mihawk again.

Shanks followed the vivre card, and by halfway, he knew where Mihawk was. At the thought of meeting him back on the island, he smiled. This time, he'll make sure to beat Mihawk.

After a few days, Shanks finally saw the island in sight. His crew promised not to get in the way, so he had the freedom to duel Mihawk with all his power. He saw Mihawk's coffin boat on the shore, and smiled. He's here, and ready to duel.

Even before the ship fully reached the shore, Shanks jumped off. He was eager to see Mihawk again, and to battle him one on one. He landed on the water, and walked onto the sand. He looked around, and saw footsteps leading into the jungle. He knew where Mihawk was definitely.

Shanks walked into the jungle, and reached the hut that Mihawk built when he first arrived. Just as he expected, Mihawk was in there.

"Are you going to sit around and be rude to your guest, or are you going to greet me?" Shanks knocked on the door, waking Mihawk up from his nap.

"You took your sweet time Shanks. Really it took you this long to reach me? Pathetic."

"You won't be calling me pathetic when you'll be on the ground begging for your life Mihawk." Shanks replied back with confidence.

At that Mihawk smirked. He glanced up at Shanks, and laughed. "I'd love to see you try. No one has beaten me so far in a duel."

"Then I'll be your first."

Both men walked out of the hut, and walked out back onto the beach. It was the ideal place. Open, and free from distractions and obstacles. They readied themselves, and drew their swords. From the distance, Shanks's crew cheered on for both the men.

At the same time, both Shanks and Mihawk ran at each other. The impact of the swords was so tense, that even from a distance the clashing of the metals could be heard clearly.

Again and again, they swung their swords at each other, but was unable to even leave a scratch. Both used haki and was equal in power, so the battle was dragged out for a long time.

At some point, both swordsmen fell to their knees, panting from exhaustion. They did finally manage to leave a scratch here and there, but nothing to severe. They called truce, and left the battle as a tie.

Mihawk managed to gather up his energy to make a comment. "Not bad. You're the first to actually survive my blows."

Out of breath, all Shanks could do was nod and smile. He lied down on the sand, and noticed the burning red color of the sky. They battled for so long, that the day was already setting.

Both Shanks and Mihawk stayed still on the beach, not saying a word. Some time passed, when finally Mihawk stood up and walked over to Shanks. He offered his hand to help Shanks stand up. Shanks gladly took his hand and stood up from the beach.

"Looks like we're going to have to spend a night here." Shanks said as he stared at the stars starting to appear from behind the clouds.

"Yeah. Are you going back to your ship?"

"No. I'm planning on staying in the hut for old times sake."

"I'm getting the bed. You can take the floor."

"Fine. But I'm going to go tell my crew that I'm staying on the island."

Shanks walked over to where his ship was, and yelled at Ben about the situation. Ben sighed, then nodded his approval. At that, Shanks happily walked back to Mihawk.

He nudged Mihawk to go, and both men started for the hut.

"Wait. I want to wash my sweat off. I'm going to the lake first."

Mihawk turned to walk in the direction of the lake. He knew the island well enough, even if time has passed. He started to walk, when Shanks yelled from behind.

"Wait! I want to go too. I don't want to sleep in this condition."

Shanks quickly ran up to catch up to Mihawk. He grabbed his hands, and wrapped it with his own. Mihawk just kept on walking, but smiled at Shanks holding his hands.

After taking a dip in the lake, both men returned to the hut and got ready to sleep.

"Hey. You know we should meet up every now and then to have more duels." Shanks said to Mihawk as he lied on the floor.

"It wouldn't be so bad. We could show off our skills often then." Mihawk replied back as he yawned.

The two swordsmen quickly fell asleep, while listening to the sounds of nature.

The two men parted ways, and promised each other to meet again for a duel. From then on, they met every once in a while on the same island, each battle rising in intensity. It was great, since they got to show off their skills and see each other. But it threw Mihawk off, when he met up with Shanks one day, to see that he was missing an arm.


	13. Chapter 13

Mihawk didn't know what to say. He met with Shanks thinking that it'll be another tied duel, but it wasn't.

As the years went by, both Mihawk and Shanks regularly met up to have a duel, and each battle would end up in a tie. They never could land a devastating blow on each other, and always ended the fight after several hours later.

Mihawk met up with Shanks one day on a small island with a village. He waited patiently for Shanks, and when Shanks finally arrived, he sensed something was off. He didn't know what, but something was wrong. It wasn't until Shanks neared Mihawk, that he saw it.

"Shanks... Your..."

"My arm? Yeah I know. Funny story actually."

"You idiot. What the hell did you do that lost you an arm?"

"Look at it as a symbol of a promise. I made a promise to a friend with this arm of mine. Anyways, I'm right handed, so there's no trouble in holding my sword."

"That's not the problem. I'm not going to fight you when you're at a disadvantage."

Mihawk sighed, and placed his sword on his back. He just stared at the missing arm, and shook his head.

"Hey it's still the same before. It's not like I lost the ability to fight. Trust me. Just fight me and you'll see."

Shanks walked up to Mihawk and grabbed his hand.

Mihawk shook his head once more, and removed Shanks's hand off of his own.

"No. I won't say it twice. I am not going to fight someone who has a disadvantage against me. It'll bring dishonor in my name."

"You're not actually worried about fighting. There's something else to it, isn't there?"

"No. That's all. There's nothing more dishonorable than fighting someone who holds a clear disadvantage."

Mihawk faced away from Shanks, and started to walk away. Shanks quickly chased Mihawk, and grabbed his arm, spinning Mihawk around to face him.

"What's really bothering you? I know it's not the fight being held back."

Mihawk refused to look at Shanks, and stared out at the beach in silence. He finally spoke out after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"... I... Just can't stand looking at you, without a part of you. It feels empty. It doesn't feel right."

"That's all? Look it's nothing. It's just an arm."

"I know. I know, but it's still bothering me. Was that promise worth it?"

"My friend will make it out there in the future, and you'll see."

Shanks closed in the spaces between him and Mihawk, and placed his head on Mihawk's shoulder. Mihawk reflexively wrapped his arms around Shanks's neck. They stood still, hugging each other on the beach.

"You know, it's going to take some time to get used to you not having your arm."

"Yeah I'm still getting used to it too." Shanks gave Mihawk a light kiss on the cheeks, and stepped away. He sat down on the sand, and watched as the waves hit the shore. Mihawk joined him, and silently observed him.

Even though Mihawk stopped the duels, both the men met up frequently for a drink. Each time they met, their reputation was bigger. Villages and towns feared these two as they met up for a talk in the bar, but nothing big ever happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
One morning, Mihawk decided to visit Shanks. Usually Shanks would have been the one to visit Mihawk, but Mihawk decided to switch it around this time. He took out Shanks's vivre card that he stole from Shanks a while back, and tracked him down.

He reached a small island, and saw the giant ship docked on the shore. He was there for sure.

Mihawk landed on the shore, and leaped out of his coffin boat. He walked out to the sand, where he was greeted by new recruits.

Never seen near the captain before, the new recruits took out their weapons and circled around the enemy. They knew who Mihawk was, and was afraid of him. Mihawk could see them shaking as they neared him.

"Hawkeyes! Just what've you come here for ?"

"No need to get antsy, I've no business with the rest of you. Where're your officers?"

Mihawk paused, and looked around at the alarmed crowd of recruits.

"To be hanging around on an island such as this... Your captain is quite the easygoing man..."

Hearing the news, one of the new recruits ran toward the inland of the island. Mihawk knew he was heading into the area where Shanks was, so he followed him.

"C-c-c-captaaiinnn!"

Mihawk finally reached where Shanks was inside the island. He noticed Shanks sitting under a giant parasol with the rest of the crew surrounding him.

"Ah Hawkeyes. Quite a rare guest I've got today. I'm not in such a good mood right now but... Have you come for a fight?"

"Hmph... As if I'd want to settle things with a man with only one arm. I came across some interesting pirates, and I was reminded of that story you told me long ago. That story about an interesting little kid in a certain village..."

"So you've come out at last, Luffy. Hey, everyone! Let's drink! It's time for a party!"

"Drink? But weren't you grumbling over your hangover just now!?"

"You dumbass! How could a man not drink on a day as joyous as this?! Hawkeyes! You sit down and have a drink too!"


	14. Chapter 14

Mihawk met up with Shanks often. They didn't duel, but they did love to drink together (even though Hawkeyes was not much of a drinker). The two were going to meet each other once more like the usual, but it was different this time.

"I'm being summoned to the Navy Headquarters? And for what reason?"

Mihawk was enjoying his day resting peacefully on an island, when Vice Admiral Momonga appeared from his battle ship.

"The execution of Fire Fist Ace will take place in a month. All the Warlords of the Seas are required to attend."

"What so I can mourn the death of the Whitebeard's commander?"

"No. Once the execution is in place, Whitebeard will surely make his move. You will be fighting alongside the marines to fend off against the pirates."

At the sound of that, Mihawk stared at the man. This won't be just a regular battle between the marines and the pirates. No, it would be bigger. A war, at the least.

"And what if I refuse?"

"You will be stripped of your title, and the Navy will be after your head. You don't have to answer immediately, but there will be a meeting with the warlords 2 weeks from now. You can show up if you want to keep your position, Hawkeyes."

Without another word, Vice Admiral Momonga jumped back on the warship, and yelled at the crew to head to Amazon Lily. The ship set sail, and quickly disappeared from sight.

Mihawk thought about this thoroughly. If Whitebeard is involved, no doubt there will be huge casualties on both sides. And with his alliance with hundreds of other pirates, who knows who else would show up?

After pondering for a while, Mihawk stood up. He walked to his coffin boat, and set sail to the seas. He traveled back to the uninhabited island that he and Shanks trained on.

It wasn't too long ago that Shanks finally achieved the title "Yonko". He was finally one of the emperor of the seas. But even before he obtained that name, he met not only one, but two other emperors. One being the pirate that he defeated to gain the title, and the other being Whitebeard. After getting to know him better, Shanks and Whitebeard had a solid relationship.

Being one of the emperor, he had ears everywhere. So it wasn't too long before the news of Ace's execution reached his ears. Knowing Whitebeard, he would definitely do something about it. Shanks sat down with his crew on that day, and announced a news to them.

"As you might have heard, Luffy's brother Ace will be executed within a month from now. I didn't want to get involved in it, but it feels wrong to just stand still as this poor soul gets killed. We'll end this war ourselves, if Whitebeard doesn't make it. I've contacted some of Whitebeard's allies, and they've agreed to contact us once the war becomes too much for Whitebeard to handle."

At the news, the crowd went silent. They knew it was a big risk to fight publicly against the marines, but at their headquarter? But no matter what, the crew stood with their captain. He was famous for being strong for someone with only one arm. This war wouldn't stand a chance against them.

Shanks walked out and left the sound of cheering behind him. He leaned against the railing, and looked up at the starry night sky.

"Shanks, something's bothering you isn't it?"

At the sound of Beckmann talking, Shanks turned around to face him. Instead of replying, Shanks just gave Ben a smile. He placed his hands on his head, and covered his eyes. He let out a huge sigh.

"Are you going to talk, or am I going to have to force it out of the drunk you?"

"It's not just the war that I'm worried about. It's just that... The Shichibukais are probably summoned to fight."

"You're worried about Hawkeyes? You do realize that he has the potential strength of a Yonko, right?"

"I know... It just bothers me, okay?

Shanks let out another sigh, and sat down leaning against the railing. He was planning on meting Mihawk soon, so he still had a chance to talk to him before the war.

Shanks knew that Mihawk would want to meet up at their old training place. He didn't know when, but somehow Mihawk managed to steal his own vivre card from Shanks. Knowing that, Mihawk would have wanted to meet in a familiar place that both the men knew.

By the time Shanks reached the island, it was high noon. Perfect timing for a nice chat, he thought.

When the boat reached the shore, Shanks impatiently jumped off from the railing onto the sands. He walked over to the beach, but saw no sign of Mihawk. So naturally, Shanks walked inside the jungle to the old hut.

When he walked in the hut, he saw nothing but a piece of paper on the bed. He reached down and picked the paper up to read its contents.

 _Don't try to look for me. I'm going to be busy for a while._

 _-Signed, Hawkeyes._

At the sight of the letter, Shanks was furious. He was mad that Mihawk would pull something like this on him. Now he had no idea how to find Mihawk. Shanks sat down on the dusty bed, and placed his head on his hand. He might have been feeling furious, but it didn't beat the feeling of loneliness that he felt in his heart. But little did he know, Mihawk only did this to prevent Shanks from doing anything reckless in the war.


	15. Chapter 15

Mihawk only had one thing in mind. Hurry up with this damn navy business in the war, and leave as fast as he can. But he never knew that the war would drag on to what it felt like an eternity.

Mihawk left the island right before Shanks arrived. His boat was docked on the opposite side of the island, which has hidden Mihawk's trace. As he sailed to the sea, he looked back with regret. Should he have told Shanks? It was too late now though. He had a business to take care of.

After traveling for about a week, Mihawk finally reached the Marine Headquarters. Since the execution was nearing, everyone was on guard, ready to take on any enemy on sight.

Mihawk was escorted to the meeting room by a couple of marines. He could tell they were frighten, because they were shaking most of the way to the room. His reputation is quite fierce after all.

Mihawk was the first to arrive. Not surprising, considering the fact that like himself, many other shichibukais liked to take their sweet time when it came to government business. It just happened to be that Mihawk was near by when he was called in.

Mihawk leaned back against the couch and lifted his feet to rest on the table. He slid his hat just enough to cover his eyes, and let his eyes close. Might as well take a nap if the meeting wasn't going to start for a while.

Mihawk woke from the vibration caused by someone sitting next to him on the couch. He didn't move, but listened in on the person next to him.

"Sleeping in the middle of the marine base... Fufufu you really let your guards down Hawkeyes."

"Anyone who is foolish enough to attack me here will not be allowed to walk in this life for as long as I live. You're unusually early, Doflamingo."

"Fufufu~ I got bored, that's all."

Mihawk raised his hat back up, and sat up straight. He checked the time, and noticed that he slept for 4 hours. It did help him with refueling his energy though.

Soon enough, most of the warlords gathered around. The only ones missing were Hancock and Jinbe. Probably off doing something stupid, he thought.

"Looks like we're going to have to wait a little bit longer for the arrival of Hancock."

At the voice, everyone in the room stared at the doorway. It was the Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and as always, his pet goat.

"Jinbe... Is not willing to cooperate. He will be treated as a pirate, and locked up in Impel Down. Hancock for some odd reason, wanted to see the prisoner to be executed. It won't be long, so just wait a little more. Also, there is a change of plan. The execution will take place sooner than we expected. We hope to rid of the prisoner before Whitebeard arrives."

As soon as he said this, Sengoku left the room in silence. Great. More waiting. But it at least he could prepare himself against Whitebeard and his allies during the war.

Mihawk wasn't much of a social person. He just sat around on the couch, dozing off from time to time. He was annoyed by Doflamingo trying to talk to him constantly, but he managed to ignore him enough to make him go away.

Even though the war was close, he only had one thought in his mind:

 _Shanks_ _._

What would he be doing during the war? Surely he wouldn't join in the war, since he wasn't very close to Whitebeard... Or would he? Thinking of this only made Mihawk worry more about Shanks. In the end, he decided to fight with all his might, assuming that Shanks wouldn't interfere. It was a bet that Mihawk was willing to take.


	16. Chapter 16

It was finally the time. Due to some troubles in the Impel Down, the execution was to be taken care of an hour earlier. Good. He may not have to deal with Shanks after all.

Mihawk was escorted to the battle grounds, where everyone got into their positions. He stood next to the other warlords, and nervously looked around the area, hoping to distract his mind from the Red Hair. He noticed the tension growing within the navy soldiers, and same for the Admirals. Even though it was the entire Navy Headquarters and the 7 Warlords of the Seas versus the single pirate crew, there was no doubt that there would be an insanely huge amount of death that would result from the war. Mihawk let out a sigh. At least he can relax somewhat after the war, assuming that he would walk out of the battle field alive.

"Fufufu... It's not a very common sight to see the World's Greatest Swordsman sigh~"

"Yes because unlike you, I don't kill for fun, nor like helping the government, Doflamingo."

"Tsk. You know I hate the government." Doflamingo frowned. He cleared his throat, and looked over the thousands of marine soldiers getting ready for the fight.

By the time everyone was prepared, it was already almost sundown. Mihawk could see the sun slowly fall, and he could also see the tension growing. No sign of Whitebeard Pirates yet, and no sign of them appearing.

After a couple of minutes of waiting, Mihawk noticed something off in the distance. The marines made a blockade with warships to protect the front, but this was something no one expected.

Everyone started whispering, as the rumbling grew louder. It was coming from... The center pool area on the base? Mihawk looked at the pool area with amusement, as he saw dark shadows grow bigger and bigger. He did it. That old pirate did the impossible. He coated his entire boat and traveled under waters. It was a genius move; one that no one expected.

The rumbling grew louder as the shadows grew bigger. He could tell the marines were panicking, because by the time the ship appeared, some of the soldiers fainted. Great. What a way to start off the war.

From the distance, Mihawk was able to spot Whitebeard as he slowly emerged from his ship. Even at a distance, Mihawk felt the strong aura Whitebeard was giving off. So this was the strength of the Strongest Man in the World. Even without doing anything, he was able to make everyone tremble.

As the war dragged on, more and more casualties occurred everywhere. There wasn't one spot in the field that wasn't covered in blood. To make the situation even worse, Straw Hat Luffy and prisoners of Impel Down somehow made it out of the prison, and reached the Headquarters. With more enemies to fight, the war went on even longer.

It was a miracle that Straw Hat made it out alive, but it was even more miraculous that he actually managed to save his brother. Somehow, he reached the platform, unlocked the cuffs, and freed Portgas D. Ace. Things weren't looking so good for the Marines, until something unexpected happened.

For some reason, the prisoner started fighting Akainu head on. Mihawk was already busy fighting some of the Whitebeard commanders, but he saw the fight between the two happening from the corner of his eyes. Mihawk knew, even from the start of this fight, that Portgas D. Ace would not be making out of this place alive. Why would he fight against the Admiral in the first place? It didn't really matter. He just had to focus on his fight with Vista.

Mihawk was so busy fighting, that when he heard the terrifying scream coming from Straw Hat, he flinched. He looked over his shoulders, and saw that Portgas D. Ace was on the ground, with an enormous wound on his back, and Straw Hat was next to him, probably going under physical and mental shock.

Whatever it was, it caught everyone off guard, including Mihawk. On the other hand, it brought back the reality of war many. By witnessing the scene, many realized the harsh reality of war and fighting. It was like a slap of reality, especially to the marines.

By the time Mihawk was done fighting the Whitebeard Commanders, most of the pirates have retreated. Whitebeard was dead, and so was Portgas D. Ace. Mihawk was drenched in sweat, and panting most of the time. He was tired, and he just pretty much wanted to go home and sleep. The Fleet Admiral told everyone to meet back after the war to discuss future actions, but Mihawk just wanted to leave.

He thought the war would be over by now, but according to Akainu, it wasn't. He definitely wasn't satisfied with the result, but one marine decided to step up against him.

The pink haired marine was screaming out into the battle field, saying something about there is no justice if they continued to kill even if their goal was met. Of course, Mihawk never bothered to listen to the full speech, since he never really cared for marines anyways.

He was about to head in the building, when he saw something out in the corner of his eye. He turned around, and saw the pink haired marine getting approached by Akainu. Mihawk knew that Akainu had a radical mindset when it came to "justice" but he never knew the lava jerk would kill one of his own Marines.

Just as Mihawk was about to return back to his walk towards the nearly destroyed Headquarters, he saw a flash of red. _It_ _can't_ _be_ _._ _He_ _wouldn't_ _have_ _._ He turned around, to see if it was just in his imagination. But it definitely wasn't his imagination.

 _Red_ _hair_ _._ _Shanks_ _._

He was here. Even though Mihawk hoped that he wouldn't be here, he was. He didn't come alone. He came with his entire crew.

Before Akainu managed to get to the pink haired marine, Shanks interrupted him with his sword. Mihawk was far enough to stay out of Shanks's line of sight, but he was able to hear a few words. He heard something like "coming here to end the war". Playing the hero as always.

Mihawk quickly walked away from the scene, trying to stay out of sight. He didn't care about the damn government. He just wanted to get out. Mihawk didn't want to face Shanks when he just finished fighting a war. He also didn't want to deal with the drama between the two that happened before the war.

He thought that he managed to get out without being caught, but Shanks knew about Mihawk's presence. He caught a glimpse of the swordsman, and tried to stop him, but Mihawk walked too fast for Shanks to catch up. Shanks had other things to do first, so he gave up trying to catch up. He signaled Benn Beckmann to get Mihawk, and resumed what he was doing.

Mihawk on the other hand, managed to reach his boat.

"Hawkeyes! Where are you going?!" Here and there Marines yelled out at Mihawk to stay, since the war was technically not over.

"I agreed to fight against Whitebeard, not another emperor. I refuse to stay for any longer."

Mihawk got ready to part ways, when Benn tapped his shoulders.

"Our captain wants to have a word with you."

"No. I don't want to. Tell him I don't want to see him at the moment."

"Look Hawkeyes. I know things went down between you two, but Shanks has been really depressed lately. It's not like him. Please."

Mihawk stayed silent for a while. Truthfully, Mihawk did miss seeing Shanks. He missed the red hair, the smile, and his presence. But he was too tired to do anything. He didn't want to deal with that emotional man at the moment.

"... I'm sorry. I need to go. But here. Don't give this to him just yet."  
Mihawk handed Benn a piece of his Vivre Card, and hopped onto his Coffin Boat.

"Don't worry. We'll visit you once in a while."

"Pff. Thanks for the warning." Mihawk lightly chuckled, and sailed off. Mihawk was tired, but at least he knew that Shanks would visit him later in the future.


	17. Chapter 17

Mihawk left the battle field, feeling like he just aged a thousand years. He felt tired, and wanted to go back to his home on the abandoned island, and take a nap for an hour or two. Ten years would work too.

After seeing Shanks's face again, Mihawk lost all his strength to fight. To save himself from the troubles, Mihawk left the battlefield. Even though he secretly wished to desperately talk to him, Mihawk didn't want to risk putting Shanks in danger.

It didn't take very long to reach his home. Within a few weeks, Mihawk finally managed to set foot on his beloved castle again... Only to find out that he had guests. Not just one, but two.

"You. How did you get here."

"I... Our crew became separated when we were up against Bartholomew Kuma... He sent everyone flying, and I ended up here," Zoro quietly spoke out.

Roronoa Zoro. He fought against him back in East Blue, but he never thought of meeting him again so soon. Next to him was a pink haired girl... Who was floating in air? Mihawk stood still, observing her, and realized that she was a devil fruit user.

"Never mind that. I don't care what you did to get here, how you got here, and what you want from here. Do whatever, but leave me alone." Mihawk turned away, and walked towards his room, ignoring the pink haired girl and green haired swordsman. After dealing with the war, he was in no mood to talk, and deal with the two unexpected guests.

Mihawk flopped down on the bed, and shoved his face into the pillow. No matter how long he stayed still or closed his eyes, he couldn't get Shanks out of his mind.

What really bothered him was that even in the midst of war, Shanks was smiling. That idiot can't even take anything seriously, can he?

One thing Mihawk definitely noticed about Shanks, was that even though he was busy cleaning up after the war, Shanks saw Mihawk. As he walked away, Mihawk definitely felt Shanks's eyes fall upon him. But it wasn't frustration or anger. It was different. It was as if Shanks longed for him. His eyes were fierce, yet oddly soft; something only Mihawk has seen so very often. Shanks wanted to see Mihawk, and Mihawk knew about it.

Mihawk sighed, as he laid on his back. He closed his eyes, and drifted away, with the image of Shanks's smile on his mind.

Shanks knew Mihawk saw him. He expected that idiot swordsman to at least say something, but all he did was walk faster towards his boat. No matter how much he tried, it was as if Mihawk really hated him. This only made Shanks upset.

There was no point in chasing down Mihawk if he was purposely avoiding him. Shanks decided not to follow after him, and instead focus on cleaning up after the war. But his mind only focused on one thing, no one man. _Mihawk._

"Damn it. It'll only make me more frustrated the more I think about him." Shanks mumbled to himself.

Ben Beckmann, who happened to be near by, walked up to his captain and placed his hands on Shanks's shoulder.

"Look if you really want to talk to him, I can deliver your message to him."

At the sound of this, Shanks's face brightly lit up.

"Can you really? Hurry then, first mate! You're going to miss him!"

Shanks pushed Ben towards the direction of Mihawk, and excitedly awaited his return.

After a few minutes, Ben Beckmann returned to his captain's side. He had a neutral expression on his face, like the usual, so he couldn't tell if it was a bad news or a good news.

"He doesn't want to see you right away Shanks. You gotta give him some space."

"He's not mad at me... Is he?"

"No. From the looks of it, he's just tired. You can go visit him later, but you'll have to wait."

Shanks let out a sigh. He was relieved that Mihawk wasn't mad at him, but also frustrated that he had to wait longer to see him. But how would he find him again without Mihawk's Vivre Card?

But it didn't matter now. He had business to take care of. It was only a matter of time before he can track Mihawk down. If it meant being able to see his smile again, there was nothing that could hold back Shanks.


	18. Chapter 18

Some time has passed since Mihawk came home from the war. He would have known exactly how long, if he weren't so busy handling the two kids. Ever since Zoro and Perona appeared, Mihawk became extremely busy, taking care of Perona while training Zoro.

Funny thing. Even though he considered Mihawk to be his rival, Zoro lowered his head and asked to be trained by him. It was funny, but the amount of respect he had for his captain was what surprised him. It reminded him of Ben Beckmann, and his dedication to Shanks.

But he didn't realize how tiring it could be to take care of someone like that. He often got lost, drank a lot, and pretty much used brute force when a problem came up. How did the Straw Hats manage someone like this?

Because of him, Mihawk had to hide all his wine, and restrict him from drinking. Who knew such troublesome man would come along his way? But taking care of both of them made Mihawk forget about Shanks... Until now.

Zoro was supposed to be training outside, when he suddenly ran in panting, clearly out of breath.

"Hawkeyes... It's... He's..."

"Speak up, Roronoa. What do you need?"

"It's Yonko Shanks."

At his words, Mihawk froze. _Shanks_ _._ He forgot about him. The name filled his mind, and he was speechless. He remembered that Ben had the Vivre Card, and he must have given it to Shanks. Crap. How was he going to face him now?

"Hawkeyes?"

"... Go train outside. I'll deal with him."

At that, Zoro left the mansion and went outside. Hearing what was happening, Perona also floated out with Zoro. Good. He didn't want to face Shanks with others around him.

Mihawk sat up from his chair, and set down the newspaper that he was reading. He stretched, hoping to ease his nervousness. Even though he has seen Shanks so many times, it was always nerve wrecking when he met him.

Mihawk walked towards the door, hoping to see where Shanks was before he arrived. He was about to open the door, when he heard the doorknob turn. When the door opened, he saw who was behind it. He knew that red hair from anywhere.

"Sh... Shanks..."

Mihawk couldn't even speak right. His heart was beating so loud, he thought that the other man could hear it. Mihawk stood frozen, not knowing what to do.

"Is that how you greet an old friend?" Shanks finally spoke up after the long awkward silence. He smiled, and it just made Mihawk's heart pound louder.

Mihawk was about to reply, when Shanks walked forward and hugged him. It wasn't like your regular friendly hug. It felt more passionate than that. It took Mihawk by surprise, and he stumbled backwards a bit. He would have fell, if it weren't for Shanks tightly grabbing onto him.

"I missed you, you idiot," Shanks whispered into Mihawk's ear. For sure, Mihawk thought that Shanks would be mad at him for cutting all contact with him, but he wasn't.

"I... I'm truly sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to..."

Mihawk tried to speak out, but he was stopped midway by Shanks. It really has been a while since he felt his soft lips on him. He didn't realize how much he missed the touch, the scent, and the feeling.

Mihawk raised one hand to Shanks's neck, and his other to his waist. He pulled in the red haired man closer to him, until their bodies were touching. It was just a kiss, but it was a sense of euphoria; they both missed that feeling.

Shanks broke away first trying to catch his breath. His eyes were fierce, looking right at Mihawk. It was as if it was trying to tell Mihawk that Shanks was longing for more.

Mihawk looked right back at him and smiled. He placed his head on the red haired man's shoulder, and closed his eyes. Like always, he smelled like alcohol and gunpowder, but it felt natural on him.

"I missed you too, you stupid red hair."


End file.
